Political Development: The Executive’s Size and Quality

This chapter examines the political development of Trinidad and Tobago (TT) with a focus on the size of the executive and the quality of public institutions. The structural makeup of TT implies a substantial but sub-par public sector, marked by inefficiency and ineffectiveness. These expectations are mostly borne out in the data. Compared to similar country groups, TT boasts a notably larger public sector, evident in public spending, investment, and wages. TT lags in public institutional quality across various measures, including property rights, trust in politicians, and transparency in government decision-making. Notably, the country performs better in judicial independence but falls short in fostering public trust in politicians and curbing favouritism in official decisions. TT’s policies exhibit mixed performance, showcasing strengths in stability and resource allocation but weaknesses in enforcement and public regardedness.